Forage harvesters generally include feed rolls which deliver crop material to a cutterhead where it is cut and chopped. A conveying auger is also usually provided to move the cut and chopped material from the cutterhead area to a blower where it is discharged through a spout.
In a conventional type of forage harvester, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,211, the conveying auger is located in a trough rearward of the cutterhead. Material is delivered from the cutterhead into the auger trough with such high force that frequently a considerable amount of the material is thrown around the auger and back into the cutterhead. This greatly reduces the efficiency of the harvester in moving material away from the cutterhead area.
The present invention provides baffle means located above the auger and behind the cutterhead to prevent material from being thrown from the auger toward the cutterhead. The baffle means actually deflects material downwardly toward the auger. This significantly improves the efficiency of the harvester in moving the material away from the cutterhead area.